Rotatable game drum apparatus



Apfi119,1949.,` E. B. TAYLR 2,468,000

ROTATABLE GAME 'DRUM PPARATUS Filed March 9, 1945 2 sheek-shee*v l1 April 19, 1949. E B TAYLOR 2,468,000

ROTATABLE GAME DRUM APPARATUS 2 Sheets-snee: 2

Filed March 9, 1945 Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ao'rs'rnnpa sains nam/r APPARATUS sier-rage s. fraymr, cleveland, ohio Application March 9, 1945, Serial No. 581,803

2 Claims.

My present invention relates tol improved amusement apparatus adapted to be used in homes and any places Where parties are ccnducted, and comprising a game section having amusement features.

My invention comprises game apparatus in which a drum is mounted for rotation in a body equipped With a large vision opening, the drum having spaced pictures arranged to appear at such opening as the drum is rotated. The body also has small Vision openings and the drum has indicia associated with the pictures adapted to appear at the small openings as the drum is rotated.

A full understanding of my improved apparatus will be had upon reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken about on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detailed enlarged sectional view bringing out more clearly the anti-friction bearing supporting means intermediate the gaine section of the apparatus and the serving section o the apparatus.

Describing my invention in detail, and referring rst to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the game section of my apparatus is generally shown at A, and the serving section is generally designated B. The serving section E is superposed upon the game section A, is of substantially the same diameter as the latter, and near the top of said serving section the same is preferably rounded off to improve the general appearance of the apparatus.

The serving section A is largely made in the form of a tray, having the circular side wall strncture I, the top portion 2, and the bottom portion 3. The top 2 of the section B is preferably provided with quite large openings which may be or" square form as illustrated, and designated li. These provide recesses in which may be positioned the bottles 4a containing liquid refreshment, the same adapted to rest on the bottom 3 of the serving section. Also, the to-p 2 is provided with a series of relatively small openings, the same being of a size to accommodate or receive cocktail glasses there being adjacent to said openings, and nearer to the periphery of the serving section B, somewhat larger openings adapted to receive larger glasses 8.

A large round opening, concentric with and 2 located at the middle of the top 2 oi the section B is adapted to receive a receptacle Ill made of any suitable material, plastic, glass, or the like, in which receptacle may be contained ice enclosed in. the receptacle by means of the removable cover II.

The round side wall structure of the section B provides a skirt-like formation Aor member :which is of the same diameter as the circular or round wall structure ofl the game section A, the latter Wall structure being designated at I2 and seen best in Figures 3 and 4 as to its sectional construction. The game section A at the upper end of its Wall body I2 is provided with a top member I3 or horizontal partition practically closing the upper end of the section A and supporting an annular member or ring it over which the lower edge portion oi the skirt or side .wall member i of the section B is adapted to t. Said ring It assists in centering the section B upon the section A when emplaced upon the latter.

The game section A of my apparatus, as seen in Figure 1, is provided with an opening at the right portion designated I5, which opening is preferably supplied with a transparentv window I6, made of glass or plastic material. The opening I5 may extend any suitable distance around the wall bodyy l2 of the section A, and enables picturesor illustrations Il which are carried'by a drum i8 mounted within the section A, to be seen through the window I5. As seen in Figure 1 at the left of the section A the wall portion l2 of said section is solid or opaque as designated at I9, and at this portion is provided with a series of openings designated 2i?. These openings are relatively small, and through them portions of the pictures Il may become visible as the drum i8 rotates by operation to be described, and then becomes stationary.

The solid wall portion I9 of the section A will preferably also be supplied with indicia 2| pertainingto position pla-ces of horses, pictures of which are shown at I1 as one type of illustration or pictures that the drum i3 may carry on its periphery.

As previously suggested, the drum I8 is mounted within the circular section A of my apparatus, and is of somewhat smaller diameter than said section A, as seen best in Figures 3 and 4. The drum I8 is provided with a central bearing sleeve 22, and the said drum comprises the annular wall I8, as designated, and a plurality of radial vanes or arms 23 which project outwardly from the sleeve 22, vand are joined at their outer ends to the inner face of the wall or drum body I8.

The drum I8 is rotatable within the section A upon a central spindle or shaft 24, the lower end of the latter being set in a bearing member 25 on the bottom 26 of the section A which forms the bottom of the entire apparatus. At its upper end the shaft or spindle 24 carries a lower ball bearing plate 25 supporting ball bearings 26' in a. raceway thereon. The ball bearings 26 in turn support a plate 21 which is attached to the underside of the bottom 3 of the serving section A and has a raceway complementary to that of the plate 25 for receiving said balls 26. In the above manner an anti-friction bearing unit is provided between the shaft or spindle 24, and the section A of my apparatus, and the section B of the apparatus, whereby the latter section is free to rotate relatively to the section A. This is a desirable feature of my apparatus, because if it is disposed upon the center portion of a table, or counter, or similar support, it is quite convenient, by grasping one of the handles 28, two of which are provided, one at opposite sides of the section B, to turn the serving section and thus present to a person at a certain side of the table or support a glass containing liquid refreshment. In the turning movement of the section B relatively to the section A, as stated before, the ring I4 assists in providing a sort of outboard bearing for the Wall I of the section B coacting with the inboard bearing support provided by the shaft 24 and the anti-friction bearing unit supportin-g the section B at the central portion of the latter. Near the upper portion of the drum I8, and at opposite portions or positions thereon will be located rollers 29 adapted to engage the inner periphery of the wall structure I2 of the section A and facilitating the free rotation of the drum I8 in relation to the said wall structure I2.

The drum I8 is supported in proper rotating position upon the shaft 24 by means of a supporting nut 30 held in place by a set nut 3| and the two being Screwed on the lower end. of the shaft 24.

For facilitating the rotation of the drum I8 I contemplate providing a hand lever 32 having a ball and socket connection 33 with the wall I2 of section A at a suitable point in the Circular extent of said wall I2. The lever 32 extends inwardly a sufficient distance from the Wall I2 so that its inner end is capable of engaging the teeth of a ratchet ring 34 attached to the lower edge portions of the vanes or blades 23 of the drum I8.

A flat spring 35 is attached to the inner side of the Wall I2 of the section A, as seen best in Figures 3 and 4, near the bottom of said section A, and this spring has a T-shaped head 36 bearjing upwardly against the lower side of the lever 32 tending to maintain the latter in engagement with the ratchet teeth of the ratchet ring `3ft. By swinging the lever 32 in one direction while engaging the teeth of ring 34, movement may be imparted to the drum I8 to rotatev the latter or spin it on its axis 24. The lever 32 forms a sort of click engaging the drum while it is rotating.

The operation of my invention may be briey set forth as follows: My apparatus will be disposed upon a table or suitable support, and usually will be assembled in the condition as lshown in Figure l. The manner in which the serving features of the apparatus, involving the section B, may be used, is obvious. As refreshment liquid is poured into the glasses E and 8, the serving section B may be rotated forconvemently bringing the glasses adjacent to the persons to be served. If the user of the apparatus wishes to at any time, he may pick up the serving section B by lifting the same off the game section A and the serving of beverages or refreshment liquid may be attended to by carrying the same to any place in a room or compartment as desired. The above operation of removing the section B from the game section A is permitted because the bearing plate 21 is not interlocked in any way with the lower structure of the game section and will admit of the detachment of the serving section with ease under these conditions, the section B being lifted, of course, by the handles 28, as well as caused to rotate by use of the latter.

The game section of my apparatus is used for playing various games that are interesting and which may involve the spinning of the drum I8 so as to cause the pictures of horses or other illustrations carried by the outer surface of the drum, designated I1, to move rapidly as visible through the transparent pane I6 and when the drum I 8 comes to a standstill, certain ones or portions of the pictures I1 will appear in front of the openings 28 which are designated l, 2, 3, in the sense of first, second, and third winner. The illustrations of pictures I1 will have numbers that will be visible at the openings 2l! whenever the drum I8 comes to a stop after it has been spun by operation of the lever 32.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In apparatus as described, in combination, an opaque hollow body having a large vision opening therein, a drum in said body mounted for rotation relative thereto, said drum having a plurality of spaced pictures on the periphery thereof and arranged to appear at said opening during rotation of said drum, said hollow body having a plurality of smaller vision openings therein, said drum having a plurality of individual indicia on the periphery of said drum individually related to each respective picture, the said individual indicia arranged to appear at said smaller openings during rotation of the drum.

2. In apparatus as described, in combination, an opaque hollow body having a large vision opening therein, a drum in said body mounted for rotation relative thereto, said drum having a plurality of spaced pictures on the periphery thereof and arranged to appear at said opening during rotation of said drum, said hollow body having a plurality of smaller vision openings therein, said drum having a plurality of individual indicia on the periphery of said drum individually related to each respective picture, the said individual indicia arranged to appear at said smaller openings during rotation of the drum, and roller means cooperatively associated with said drum and said body intermediate the periphery of the drum and said body vfor facilitating rotation of the drum.

ELDRIDGE B. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sabaneeff May 4, 1937 

